TOTAL INTRAVENOUS FEEDING
It is now possible to feed a person entirely by veIn for prolonged
periods . The technique provides sufficient calories, amino acids and
other nutrients to promote growth, wejght gain and wound healing
by Stanley J. Dudrick and Jonathan E. R.hoads
When the digestive system of a hospital patient cannot maintain his nutrition, it is a com
mon practice to feed the patient through a peripheral vein in the neck, an arm or a leg. Although the technique of intravenous feeding has advanced in each
decade of this century, there have been serious limitations in the daily amount of nutrient that can be administered. As a result many critically ill patients have been faced with slow starvation. In particular, individuals with diseases of the alimentary tract that usually can be al-
leviated or cured surgically often had a poor prognosis for recovery from the operation because of malnutrition. Such patients are highly susceptible to postoperative complications and failure of wound healing.
In the past few years a safe and effec-
CHEST X RAY shows position of catheter tubing through which
the nutrient solution is fed directly into a large vein near the heart.
The thin catheter tubing still is attached to tbe needle used to in-
troduce the catheter into a vein below the right collarbone. The
tip of the inserted catheter can be seen near the spinal column.
Infusion of nutrients through the catheter can begin immediately.
73
© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC
INTRAVENOUS SOLUTION
INTRAVENOUS TUBING
SUPERIOR VENA CAVA
INFERIOR V ENA CAVA
CONCENTRATED NUTRIENT SOLUTION is infused through a
catheter directly into the superior vena cava, the one-inch vein that
returns blood to the heart from the upper part of the body_The
high volume of blood flow in this large vein quickly dilutes the
solution to a safe level. The catheter is inserted into the right sub-
74
EXTERNAL JUGULAR VEIN
T.--H7---INTERNAL JUGULAR VEIN
clavian vein and pushed along until the tip of the catheter is in the
superior vena cava. The catheter can also be inserted through the
left subclavian vein or one of the jugular veins. If the nutrient so·
lution is continuously infused for 24 hours a day, the patient wiII
receive enough nourishment for him to be able to gain weight.
© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC
tive technique for feeding a patient entirely by vein has been developed at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The technique of total intravenous feeding has proved to be a valuable adjunct in the treatment of virtually every disease of the alimentary tract where oral feeding is ill-advised. It also promises to become a tool of considerable usefulness in nutritional and biochemical research.
The idea of introducing substances directly into the bloodstream goes back to the discovery of the circulation of the blood by William Harvey in 1616. Physicians and scientists subsequently began to experiment with intravenous injection and blood transfusion in animals. In 1656 the architect Sir Christopher Wren, using a goose quill attached to a pig's bladder, injected ale, wine and opium into the veins of a dog. In 1667 a French physician, Jean Baptiste Denis, attempted a blood transfusion from a lamb to a man. Blood transfusions between men followed. The lack of proper sterilization techniques and the ignorance of blood chemistry led in many cases to complications and death.
Intravenous feeding had its beginning in 1843, when the French physiologist Claude Bernard infused sugar solutions into the veins of animals. By the end of the 19th century the intravenous infusion of saline or sugar solution into human patients was widely practiced. In the 1940's there were unsuccessful efforts to provide the total nutritional requirement with solutions of amino acids and glucose administered through one of the peripheral veins. In the 1950's the emphasis was on perfecting fat emulsions as a concentrated source of intravenous calories. Fat provides nine calories per gram, whereas sugars or proteins yield only about four calories per gram. Ethyl alcohol yields seven calories per gram but only limited amounts can be tolerated by intravenous infusion.
For a time it seemed that a mixture of fat emulsions, sugars, protein hydrolysates (proteins broken down into their constituent amino acids), vitamins and minerals could provide total intravenous feeding. Problems arose, however, with the fat emulsions. The fat had to be completely emulsified and the emulsion had to be stable under a variety of conditions. Fat particles that are too large will occlude capillaries in the lungs, brain and elsewhere, occasionally with fatal results. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdrew intravenous fat emulsions from the market in 1964.
One of the limitations of intravenous feeding is the total amount of water the
CLAVICLE
PLASTIC SHRINK WRAPPING -
SPLIT NEEDLE specially developed for total intravenous feeding vein puncture is held to·
gether by a shrink·wrap plastic. After the hollow needle has been inserted into the vein
(top) a catheter is pushed through the needle and into the superior vena cava. The needle is
pulled out and its plastic wrapping is peeled off (bottom), thus allowing the needle to split
apart. The tube from the nutrient solution is connected to the exposed end of the catheter.
average sick adult can handle in a day: about three liters. Larger amounts carry the threat of pulmonary edema, which is extremely dangerous. Moreover, when the solution is infused, as is customary, through one of the veins of the neck, arms or legs, the concentration of the nutrients is limited to about 10 percent. Higher concentrations frequently lead to inflammation and occlusion of the veins and blood clotting.-
Thus the few safe nutrients-glucose and amino acids-that the body can assimilate from the blood yield only four calories per gram. These nutrients must be diluted to a tenth of their maximum concentration, so that each liter of 10 percent intravenous solution provides about 400 calories. Since the limit in standard intravenous feeding is three liters per day, the total caloric intake normally is limited to 1,200 calories per day. This falls short even of the basic energy requirements of the body. An in-
dividual at rest and not digesting food consumes about 1,400 calories per day.
When the patient has a fever, the metabolic energy expenditure increases about 8 percent per degree Fahrenheit. After major surgery, such as the removal of a stomach ulcer, the energy needs run at least 5 percent above the basal level. Daily requirements in the range of 7,000 to 10,000 calories have been recorded in patients who had suffered burns over half of the body's surface.
The principal energy stores of the body are in the form of fat. To convert fat into energy efficiently, however, the body requires some carbohydrate. The carbohydrate sources are glucose in the blood and glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles. These carbohydrate stores are exhausted by a day or two of starvation. Thereafter the body produces the carbohydrate it needs by breaking down its protein, and a protein deficiency may quickly develop. In general,
75
© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC
standard intravenous feeding through a peripheral vein is adequate for shortterm supplementary nourishment. In the average patient it can supply adequate amounts of water, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals but only enough food energy to maintain the functioning of
SODIUM CHLORIDE OR --+--+-BICARBONATE
VITAMINS --i--t=----_
o
o o
the central nervous system. For its additional energy needs the body must cannibalize its own tissues.
With the development of better drugs for increasing urine output it became possible to give larger volumes of the 10 percent nutrient solution and to remove
PROTEIN -+---11----- HYDROLYSATES
(AMINO ACIDS)
-+_-+_POTASSIUM CHLORIDE OR LACTATE
-f---II---- TRACE ELEMENTS
-+---11-- MAGNESIUM SULFATE
DEXTROSE -+--+---- (50 PERCENT
SOLUTION)
CONTAINER for mixing components of a total intravenous diet solution is shown sche·
matically. Development of prepackaged plastic containers with individual compartments for
-each component would lessen the risk of contamination from airborne microorganisms.
76
the excess liquid by the use of diuretics. In this way the volume of intravenous feeding was increased to five or even seven liters per day in patients with good kidneys. The drawback is that constant attention must be paid to the patient's dynamic balance of water and electrolytes.
It occurred to us at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine that infusing the solution directly into a large vein would allow the use of a higher nutrient concentration. Theoretically the high blood flow in a large vein would promptly dilute the solution to a safe level. In 1965 we demonstrated the validity of this concept by feeding beagle puppies exclusively by vein for periods of up to 36 weeks and achieving normal growth and development. The puppies received a 30 percent nutrient solution through a plastic catheter that had been inserted into the superior vena cava, the large vein in the chest that returns blood from the upper half of the body to the heart.
The success of total intravenous feed-ing in animals led to the formulation
of intravenous diets for human patients. The first person to respond to long-term total intravenous feeding was a female infant who had been born with a useless cordlike fibrous structure in place of a major portion of her small and large intestines. The infant underwent massive surgery shortly after birth. In spite of heroic efforts to feed her intravenously by conventional methods her weight declined continuously, and 19 days after birth she appeared to be at the point of death. Her weight had declined from five pounds two ounces at birth to four pounds. Then a catheter was inserted into her superior vena cava and infusion of a concentrated nutrient solution was begun. After 45 days her weight had nearly doubled to seven and a half pounds, and the infant had begun to grow. At six months of age she had received 97 percent of all her nutrition by vein and continued to grow and develop normally [see illustration on page 79]. At one year she had more than tripled her weight at birth. She eventually achieved a maximum weight of 18)� pounds during 22 months of intravenous feeding.
In another case a 17 -year-old boy with a history of gastrointestinal problems developed abdominal pain and fever. In three months his weight had dropped from 205 to 145 pounds. X-ray studies revealed severe intestinal inflammation in the lower right abdomen and an associated mass that completely obstructed
© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC
his right ureter: the tube from the kidney to the bladder. After three days of total intravenous feeding the abdominal mass was reduced sufficiently for the ureter to have opened, and the boy's pain and fever had disappeared. During seven weeks of intravenous feeding at 5,000 calories per day he gained 12 pounds, and the intestinal inHammation had also disappeared. He was discharged on no therapy other than a low-roughage diet and tranquilizers. He returned to his original weight and has had no further problems for more than a year.
The value of being able to feed a person entirely by intravenous transfusion, particularly when the digestive system is impaired, was demonstrated again in the case of a 46-year-old man who had had three feet of his bowel removed by surgery. He developed signs of a bowel ob-struction and within two weeks under-
BASE SOLUTION
VOLUME (MILLILITERS)
CALORIES
COMPONENTS
GLUCOSE
PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE (AMINO ACIDS)
SODIUM
POTASSIUM
CALCIUM
MAGNESIUM
PHOSPHATE
ADULT INFANT
1 . 100 720
1 ,000 660
GRAMS
212 20
37 20
MILLIEQUIVALENTS
40-50 20
30-40 25
45-9 20
4-8 1 0
4- 1 0' 25
went another operation in which another VITAMINS (ADDED ONCE A DAY) ADULT INFANT foot of bowel was removed. For a time -------------------�---------------, after the operation he appeared to be USP UN I TS
doing well, but the sutures in his bowel VITAMIN A 5,000-10.000 3,000-4,000 did not hold and about three weeks later --------------------------------
fecal material began to leak through tbe wound. Even though he had lost 30 pounds by this time, oral feeding had to be stopped. He was started on a regimen of total intravenous feeding and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Ten days later the fecal leakage had stopped, the wound began to heal and the patient began to gain weight. Within 40 days he was able to eat again. Total intravenous feeding had significantly reduced the ravages of the "short-gut syndrome" by providing a rest period for the alimentary tract. The patient had received a total of 176 liters of intravenous nutrient solution and had gained 11 pounds without eating or drinking at all. Following his discharge from the hospital he returned to his normal weight in three months and resumed his previous employment and activities.
rrhe basic nutrient solution for total in-travenous feeding is about six times
more concentrated than blood and consists of 20 to 25 percent dextrose, 4 to 5 percent protein hydrolysate and 5 percent minerals, vitamins and other necessary nutrients. Pure crystalline amino acids can be used in place of the protein hydrolysate. The nutrient solution must be sterile and must not produce fever. The food in it must be in the forms that are normally found in the blood. The ingredients must not result in blood clotting or the occlusion of blood vessels. Finally, the solution must enable the body to maintain its normal concentrations of various essential ions such as
VITAMIN D J
�. VITAMIN E I
, VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID) J NIACIN 1 VITAMIN B-1 (THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE) J VITAMIN B-2 (RIBOFLAVIN) I
VITAMIN B-3 (pANTOTHENIC ACID) -.l
VITAMIN B-6 (pYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE) I
VITAMIN K (pHYTONADIONE) 1 FOLIC ACID I
I VITAMIN B-12 (CYANOCOBALAMIN) l
MINERALS (ADDED ONCE A DAY)
IRON
TRACE ELEMENTS
'OPTIONAL
500- 1 .000 300-400
INTERNATIONAL UNITS
2 . 5-5 1 . 5-2
M I LLIGRAMS
250-500 il
150-200
50- 100 30-40
25-50 15- 20
5-10 3-4
12. 5-25 7 .5-10
7 .5-15 4.5-6
5-10' 1-1.5
.5-1.5* .5
MICR�( :RAMS
10-30* J 1 ---- .
ADULT IN FANT
2- 3* .5-1
J
-' J J I
J 1
TYPICAL NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS for the average adult and average infant are shown.
The base adult solution can be prepared in single units by mixing 750 milliliters of 5 percent
dextrose and 5 percent protein hydrolysate with 350 milliliters of 50 percent dextrose and
then adding vitamins and minerals. Mixing must be aseptic and preferably sbould be done
under a laminar-lIow, filtered·air hood. Solutions for infants are prepared the same way.
77
© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC
sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chloride, phosphate and bicarbonate.
Strict aseptic procedure during preparation of the nutrient solution must be followed to avoid contamination by bacteria, fungi and other harmful agents. The basic solution can be formulated in bulk lots or in individual units. At the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania the basic solution is prepared in bulk and sterilized immediately after mixing by passing it into sterile bottles through a cellulose membrane filter with pores .22 micron in diameter. The solution cannot be sterilized by the usual steam-autoclaving method because heating tends to cook it. (It turns brown.) Samples from each lot of solution are tested for the presence of bacteria, fungi and fever-producing substances.
The minerals are added to the basic solution just before infusion. The vitamins are added daily to one bottle of the solution. The necessary trace elements (such as cobalt, copper, iodine, manganese, molybdenum and zinc) are present as contaminants in most intravenous solutions, particularly those containing protein hydrolysates.
For normal growth and development
BASAL REQUIREMENTS AT REST, NO FOOD I--t---!-'
DIGESTION AND MINIMAL EXERCISE
MODERATE ACTIVITY OR FEVER
MAJOR TRAUMA OR OPERATION
MAJOR TRAUMA. OPERATION AND INFECTION, COMPLICATIONS
MAJOR BODY BURNS AND INFECTION, COMPLICATIONS
o 1,000 2,000
in newborn infants, who have no appreciable nutrient stores, more complete mixtures are required for daily infusion [see illustration on preceding page]. The standard adult formula must be modified for patients with heart disease, liver disease or kidney dysfunction. Morover, it is often necessary to modify the nutrient solution during the course of intravenous feeding, depending on the patient's metabolic response. No single intravenous nutrient solution can be ideal for all conditions in all patients at all times, or for the same patient during the various phases of treatment,
The solution is administered through a polyvinyl (or siliconized rubber) catheter inserted into the superior vena cava by way of a subclavian vein or an external or internal jugular vein [see illustration on page 74]. Insertion of the catheter can be accomplished safely and effectively in 99 percent of the patients if the proper procedures are followed. Strict aseptic techniques, including sterile surgical gloves and instruments, are crucial. The skin of the lower neck, shoulder and upper chest is shaved, cleaned with ether or acetone to remove skin oil and prepared with tincture of
iodine, just as the skin is prepared for a major surgical operation. A local anesthetic is injected; then a split hollow needle specially developed for the purpose is inserted into the subclavian vein. An eight-inch catheter is introduced into the vein through the needle and pushed into the superior vena cava, which is about an inch in diameter. The needle is withdrawn and split away, leaving five and a half inches of catheter within the central venous system. The catheter is fixed in place firmly with a suture. After chest X ray has confirmed the accurate positioning of the catheter the infusion of the nutrient solution can begin.
In infants who weigh less than 10 pounds the relatively small subclavian vein can make percutaneous puncture of the vein difficult and hazardous. A safer procedure is to insert a smaller catheter into an external or internal jugular vein at the base of the neck. The exposed portion of the catheter can be tunneled under the skin behind the ear to prevent the tube's being kinked by the infant's movements.
Safe long-term intravenous feeding calls for meticulous care of the catheter. The intravenous tubing is changed at
3.000 4.000 5,000 6,000 7.000 8,000 9,000 10.000 11.000 12.000 13.000
ENERGY (CALORIES PER DAY)
METABOLIC ENERGY REQUIREMENTS for the average adult
under various conditions of stress are shown hy the hars in this
graph. The hlack lines indicate the range of variation for differ·
ent individuals. The hasal requirement of an adult at rest and not
eating is ahout 1,400 calories per day. Standard intravenous feeding
with 5 percent dextrose can supply ahout 600 calories per day.
When the solution concentration is douhled to 10 percent, feeding
through a peripheral vein can provide only ahout 1,200 calories per
day. With total intravenous feeding the patient can normally ohtain
3,000 calories per day and in some cases up to 4,000 calories per
day. Intake of 10,000 calories per day has heen possihle only with
a combination of oral food intake and total intravenous feeding.
78
© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC© 1972 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC
least three times a week. 'vVith proper 14
maintenance each catheter can be left in place safely for about 30 days. The catheter should not be used for taking 12 blood samples, measuring blood pres-sure or administering medication. In-deed, it should be regarded as the pa-tient's lifeline. 10
�though blood clotting is theoretical-ly a possibility with the use of long
term catheters and concentrated nutrient solutions, we have not observed any clotting of the superior vena cava in the more than 1,400 patients treated in this way at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The large blood Bow in the vein pmvides a dilution factor of 2,000 or 3,000. Well-maintained aseptic conditions can practically eliminate the hazard of blood clotting. Of course, much care must be taken to avoid the accidental puncture of a major blood vessel or the lung.
The concentrated nutrient solution must be continuously infused 24 hours a day at a constant rate to maintain maximum assimilation of the nutrients without exceeding the patient's metabolic capacities for water, dextmse, amino acids or minerals. The sugar is either broken down immediately to release energy and carbon dioxide and water or is converted into glycogen, which is stored in the muscles and liver. The amino acids are utilized for the synthesis of pmteins and body tissue or are broken down to release energy, carbon dioxide, water and urea.
The carbon dioxide, water and urea are easily excreted thmugh the lungs, kidneys and in sweat. There are virtually no solid wastes to be eliminated through the bowel. The infrequent stools of patients on total intravenous feeding consist of mucus, bile, bacteria and cells sloughed off fmm the intestines. The activities of the digestive tract can be reduced to about 10 to 25 percent of normal with total intravenous feeding. The stomach and bowel shrink in length and in diameter, and a condition of true "bowel rest" can be achieved. It may take from several days to a few weeks for the alimentary tract to be restored to normal on resumption of oral feeding, but no long-term adverse effects have been observed.
If the solution is infused too rapidly, the capacity of the kidney to retain dextrose can be exceeded and the sugar can be lost in the urine, carrying with it some of the minerals, vitamins and amino acids. This not only is wasteful but also can lead to dehydration with convulsions or coma. In patients with impaired
(jj o Z ::J r;: lI (C) L!i � >o o C:l
(jj w a: 0 ..J <{ � I-Z w � I. (/) a: ::J 0 Z (/) ::J 0 Z w
� a: I-z
8
6
4
700
600
500
400
300
200
5
5
10 15 20
DURATION OF TREATMENT (WEEKS)
10 15 20
DURATION OF TREATMENT (WEEKS)
25 30
25 30
WEIGHT GAIN of the first infant to be nourished entirely by total intravenous feed ing
paralleled tbe normal rate for infants. The infant girl underwent massive intestinal surgery
shortly after birth, and in spite of great efforts to feed her intravenously by conventional
methods her weight dropped from five pounds two ounces to four pounds. She began to gain
weight immediately with total intravenous feeding; within four weeks she surpassed her
birth weight. During the 22 months of intravenous feeding the infant reached a weight of
IS.S pounds. The lower graph shows tbe weekly average of calories given intravenou,ly.
79
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kidneys the amino acids may aggravate an already excessive retention of urea; such patients are given solutions with only the minimal amounts of the essential amino acids. The amino acid composition should be modified if the patient has a certain type of liver disorder.
Basic guidelines for safe intravenous feeding include daily measurement
of body weight and water balance. Serum electrolytes, blood sugar and urea nitrogen in the blood should be measured daily until they are stabilized and then measured every two or three days. The urine sugar concentration should be measured every six hours. Liver and kidney function should be evaluated initially and then every two or three weeks. Periodic measurement of arterial and central venous pressure, blood acidity and dissolved gases may be indicated in the management of patients with heart, kidney, lung or metabolic disorders.
In newborn infants the nutrient solution can be best delivered at a constant rate by means of an external-action pump. Syringe pumps cannot be employed because the risk of contamination is high. A fine filter between the pump tubing and the catheter prevents the transmission of microorganisms and other contaminants. The filter also prevents air embolism, because air cannot pass through the filter pores after the filter has been moistened. Similar filters with larger pores can be used with adult patients. With patients who are capable of walking, the intravenous-feeding bottles (or plastic bags) can be attached to rolling poles so that the patient can engage in the exercise essential for optimal nutrition and recovery.
The prevention of infection is of paramount importance to the success of longterm total intravenous feeding. If the necessary aseptic and antiseptic procedures are followed conscientiously, the chances of infection are low. In addition, since the nutrient solution is a good culture medium for bacteria and fungi, the preparation of the solution, the changing of bottles and the replacement of tubing should be handled under conditions that ensure asepsis.
Fever or infection in a patient does not rule out total intravenous feeding. On
the contrary, in a critically ill patient infection intensifies the need for nutritional support. Although seeding of the catheter by microorganisms circulating in the blood is a possibility, it has not been a significant problem. It is a cardinal rule, however, that whenever it is suspected that an infection may be
caused by the catheter, the catheter should be removed immediately.
Total intravenous feeding has proved itself in the treatment of 1,300 adults, some for as long as a year, and in the treatment of more than 100 infants, some for as long as 22 months. Weight gain, wound healing and improved health have been observed in the large majority of cases. Before total intravenous feeding had been developed, patients with severe inflammation or ulceration of the digestive tract had a poor prognosis for survival. Often food taken by mouth is not properly absorbed by the diseased intestine, and the food can actually exacerbate the disease. With total intravenous feeding such individuals can now be given sufficient nourishment to achieve a state of tissue synthesis and weight gain. Patients with a deep ulcer or fistula (leak) of the alimentary tract that has perforated through the abdominal wall, so that food and fluid are actually lost through the opening, have in the past been extremely resistant to both surgical and nonsurgical treatment. With total intravenous feeding more than half of the patients have shown spontaneous healing of the fistula and the rest have improved sufficiently to be better risks for surgery. Patients with severe inflammatory disease of the intestinal tract may also show spontaneous remission of the disease on this regimen.
Patients with impaired liver function or with kidney failure have been supported adequately by the total intravenous feeding of specially formulated solutions. In patients with complicated major burns as much as 6,000 nutrient calories per day has been given by vein to supplement oral or tube feedings of 4,000 to 5,000 calories. In infants total intravenous feeding has proved capable of supporting normal growth and development until oral feeding can begin.
There are many other applications of total intravenous feeding in internal
medicine, pediatrics and surgery. In addition the technique promises to be a
powerful tool for basic investigations in biochemistry, pharmacology and nutrition. The role of hormones, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids can be studied in animals and in man under conditions of control formerly unattainable. The degree to which immune mechanisms can be altered by intravenous diets of selected amino acids may be of significance in facilitating successful tissue transplants. Most potential applications of total intravenous feeding remain to be explored ..
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